California Center for Population Research [University of California-Los Angeles] Working Paper: “The Impact of Obesity on Adult Mortality: Assessment of Estimates with Applications,” by Alberto Palloni and Hiram Beltran-Sanchez (CCPR-2017-006, April 2017, .pdf format, 22p.). Note: Links to the abstract and the full text of the paper available at:

Statistics Norway Working Paper: “Long term impacts of class size in compulsory school,” by Edwin Leuven and Sturla A. Lokken (Discussion Paper 858, March 2017, .pdf format, 36p.). Note: Links to the abstract and the full text of the paper available at:

Proceedings of the National Academy of Science Article Abstract: “Prenatal loss of father during World War One is predictive of a reduced lifespan in adulthood,” by Nicolas Todd, Alain-Jacques Valleron, and Pierre Bougnères (Vol. 114, No. 16, April 18, 2017, p. 4201–4206).

US Census Bureau Working Paper: “How Well Do Individuals Report Supplement Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) Take Up in Household Surveys?” by Sandy Colby, Jose Debora, and Misty L. Heggeness (SIPP Working Paper No. 276, December 2016, .pdf format, 26p.).

Abstract:

This paper assesses the quality of survey-based reporting of SNAP participation by using linked administrative records from three states, Illinois, Maryland, and Virginia, covering the years 2009-2012. We compare reports of SNAP participation from the 2008 panel of the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) with SNAP administrative records, evaluating the consistency of reported SNAP participation across the two data sources and identifying characteristics of individuals associated with conflicting reports.

We find evidence of a slight over reporting of SNAP participation in the SIPP for the combined states and years evaluated. Though the vast majority of responses in the survey align with the administrative data, approximately 4.5 percent of the observations can be classified as either a false positive or a false negative. False positives, defined as occurring when a survey respondent reports that they receive benefits, but do not appear in the administrative data, are more likely to occur for the foreign born relative to those born in the U.S, for non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics than for non-Hispanic Whites, and for unmarried adults and married adults without children. Conversely, rural residents, those with less than a high school education, women, unmarried parents, and the unemployed are more likely to have false negative responses (appearing as a beneficiary in the administrative data, but not reporting receipt in the survey). Both false positives and false negatives are more likely to occur when survey data on SNAP participation are imputed, raising the possibility that current imputation methods for this survey could be improved by incorporating administrative data.